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Iran has indicated that potential agreements in the energy, mining and aviation sectors could form part of ongoing negotiations with the United States, as both sides prepare for another round of nuclear discussions in Geneva.

Talks between Tehran and Washington resumed earlier this month in an effort to address tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme and reduce the risk of military escalation. A second meeting is expected to take place in Switzerland, with Oman acting as mediator.

Tehran Seeks Economic Gains From Any Deal

Hamid Ghanbari, Iran’s deputy foreign ministry director for economic diplomacy, said any agreement must generate tangible economic returns for both countries.

“For the sake of an agreement's durability, it is essential that the U.S. also benefits in areas with high and quick economic returns,” Ghanbari said, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency.

He added: “Common interests in the oil and gas fields, joint fields, mining investments, and even aircraft purchases are included in the negotiations.”

Iranian officials argue that the 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers did not secure long-term U.S. economic interests, a factor they suggest contributed to Washington’s withdrawal from the accord in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump. After pulling out of the deal, the United States reinstated sweeping sanctions on Tehran.

Washington Weighs Diplomacy and Pressure

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Trump favors a diplomatic outcome but acknowledged uncertainty over whether negotiations would succeed.

“No one's ever been able to do a successful deal with Iran but we're going to try,” Rubio said during a press conference in Bratislava.

U.S. officials have indicated that additional military assets have been positioned in the region as a precaution. At the same time, Washington is increasing economic pressure. According to reports, the United States is working with Israel to curb Iran’s oil exports to China, which accounts for the majority of Tehran’s crude sales.

A reduction in those exports would significantly affect Iran’s revenue stream.

Nuclear Flexibility and Red Lines

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi suggested Tehran is open to compromise if sanctions are lifted. In an interview with the BBC, he said the ball was “in America's court to prove that they want to do a deal.”

Iran’s atomic energy chief has previously indicated that Tehran could dilute its most highly enriched uranium as part of an agreement. Western governments have long viewed uranium enrichment inside Iran as a potential pathway to nuclear weapons capability, an allegation Tehran denies.

Iran maintains that it will not accept a complete halt to uranium enrichment, a key sticking point in earlier negotiations.